Field
This disclosure relates to the field of automatic feeding and sorting of items or articles. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a retractable product guide in an automatic stack feeder.
Description of the Related Art
Articles, such as items of mail, are frequently provided in bulk and must be sorted into individual articles or items for processing or routing. If the stack of articles in the feeder is not positioned correctly, the stack of articles may lean, slump, fall, or otherwise be incorrectly aligned for singulation or shingulation, and the process of sorting individual articles may be slowed down or hampered with errors, such as picking more than one article at a time, or damaging articles during picking. As a stack of articles moves along an automatic stack feeder, the stack is supported by and moves along a product or stack guide. Articles or stacks of articles for use in automatic stack feeders are often provided in containers. The containers are deposited onto a conveyor belt of an automatic stack feeder, and are positioned flush with the stack guide. The containers have a sidewall of a certain thickness, and when the stack of articles is unloaded from the container, due to the thickness of the container's sidewall, the stack of articles may not be in contact with the stack guide. Thus, there is a need to ensure that the stack of articles, once unloaded from the container, is able to be in contact with the stack guide, so the stack of articles can be properly supported as the stack advances along the automatic stack feeder.